The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-09
AN ATTACK ON wATTERsoN.
That Editor and His Free-Trade Policy Bring
Disaster to Kentucky Democracy.

That Editor and His Free-Trade Policy Brings
Disaster to Kentucky Democracy.
Atlanta Constitution
The Kentucky election has effectually mashed
the Kentucky idea" Under the absurd leader
ship of Henry Watterson the enormous Demo
cratic maj ority of that gallant old State has been
practically wiped out, and at this writing 1t IS
doubtful if so gallant Democrat as Buckner
has been able to carry the insane load involved
in the Kentucky idea'' to victory.
few months ago the Kentucky Democracy
met, and Mr.. Watterson, " no rides 1t as the old
man of the sea rode Sinbad was on hand, with
his arms around the neck of the Kentucky De-
mocracy and his legs around its ribs. he cried
his free trade theories into its ear The Ken
tuckians foolishly committed themselves to his
policy, and then Mr.. Watterson and his followers
filled the country with their howls about the
Kentucky idea" This same 'idea" had already
beaten Morrison and Hurd. and had humiliated
Mr.. Carlisle with bare majority in an over
whelming Democratic district. It had brought
defeat wherever submitted TO the people, The
Kentucky idea" is nothing more nor less than
the "Watterson idea" This ''Watterson idea
ph-ased as tariff for revenue only" struggled
into the Democratic platform at Cincinnati, had
beaten General Hancock for the presidency.
Everywhere that Mr. Watterson had been per-
mltted to shape the platform. or suggest a
plank, the majority had been disgraced and hu-
inflated
Nowhere has his work brought more fatal and
humiliatng results than to the Democracy of
Kentucky To save the internal revenue and
thus protect the whisky ring, the people of that
State have been deluded into ee-trade fallaces
which never have carried this country and which
never will. Under Mr.. Watterson's crazy lead
ership the enormous Democratic majority of
more than one hundred thousand has been whit
tied down until six days after the election the
actual result is doubtful. Six years ago Ken
lucky was the banner Democratic State of the
Union If Mr.. Watterson has his way in
another campaign, Kentucky will be Repub-
lican State. Mr. Cleveland carried the State by
over thirty four thousand. Two years after
wards the strongest local candidate that could
have been nominated barely scratches through
in gubernatorial race How long will the
gallant Democrats of Kentucky submit to being
idea of patriotism and partisanship is compre-
hended in an absurd theory driven into crazi
ness by personal egotisml How long will the
great party of great State be led by the
at the dictation of whisky rngl
Mr.. Watterson has mangled Kentucky. He
has led her Democracy into humiliation, il not
into defeat. He will not be permitted to
danger the national Democratic victory. The
ocratic ranks, if measures sharp are taken
with cattle affected with pleuro- pneumonia
necessary with those inoculated with this crazy
idea" Mr.. Watterson's capacity for turning
victory into defeat, and for reducing party
majority of one hundred thousand into
scratched plurality, is limited only by his capac-
ity for getting bis hands affairs. The
ruin he has wrought in Kentucky would be
wrought in the Republic, if his field was being
broadened rather than contracted as is happily
the case.
By the way, in what field could that journalist
achieve success who, with all the resources of
modern newspapers at his back, prints paper
six days after election in his own State and,
with more than thirty counties unreportees Is
unable to give his readers the actual figures2
The Constitution, which boasteth of great
things, once spent So 600 in single day to get
the returns from two congressional districts in
which a close campaign had closed. Perhaps
the people If so, the Georgia idea" is to give it
to them.